THAT SCARY MAN
by brodaspecks
Summary: Shadow isn't the happiest person in the world, and it's easy for everyone to see. But maybe with a loving home and family, found through Cream, Cheese, and Vanilla, some of his wounds can heal. This is not my first Sonic fanfic, but this is my first time uploading on this website. I'm still figuring it out.
1. Another Start

"Sweetie, you don't want to go near that scary man. He doesn't look very nice."

"Dude, that guy looks pissed. Don't go near him."

"Kids, don't play with that scary man."

"Hey, doesn't that dude work with Sonic the Hedgehog?" "Nah, I hear he's one of the bad guys."

Those were only a few phrases of many Shadow would hear passing by him, along with the music and chatter of the city.

"Scary man."

"Bad guy."

Shadow knew he wasn't the brightest of individuals, nor always the most presentable.

But...did he really look scary? Did he really give off such a dark and evil vibe, that people would assume him a villain at first sight?

He'd thought about it a lot, and the more he'd run into that kind of judgement...the more he'd seem to believe it about himself.

Shadow wasn't really the type to normally let insults or harsh judgement get to his head, but if you hear one thing about yourself often enough it'll change the way you perceive yourself.

The more he'd think about himself and his past…

..."Scary."

They weren't necessarily wrong.

Shadow the Hedgehog. The Ultimate Lifeform. A living weapon of mass destruction.

The sheer energy contained inside him would be enough to blow up a planet, and, if he were to take off his limiters and leave them away, the energy would eat him alive.

A weapon so dangerous, that it can easily destroy itself.

He'd been responsible for the fall of the ARK. The deaths of Gerald and Maria, and other casualties in the space colony.

GUN had come for him in the first place. He'd been a dangerous creature capable of destroying the world. He needed to be contained.

Then he was released years later by Gerald's grandson, and did exactly what GUN was afraid he would do. He attempted to destroy the planet as means of revenge. He'd eventually been swayed off his intentions, but that didn't change a thing about what he did, or excuse it.

That wasn't even mentioning what he'd experienced when the ARK was still active. Horrendous things...things that he could have never told Maria.

With a kind of horrendous and bloody background like that...who wouldn't be afraid of him? Or at least...who wouldn't fear _for_ him?

There was also the mental scars his history had left him.

The horrors he'd seen on the ARK and in GUN's captivity...the trauma of Maria and Gerald's deaths.

His brain didn't work the same as other hedgehogs.

Some days he'd wake up...and forget everything. Sure, sometimes he'd retain some memories, but sometimes it was a complete swipe. He'd wake up...and not even remember his own name.

It's scary. Scary to wake up and have no idea who you are. He wasn't sure how he'd managed to deal with it himself.

And then there was the trauma. The flashbacks...the nightmares...and the little mundane things that would suddenly uncover a wave of unwanted memories.

…"Triggers".

He hated the little things that would set him off. The harsh noise of fireworks on a new year...the sight of rifle, whether pointed at him or not...the blue..._her_ blue...and even just her name was enough for him.

"_Maria."_

She'd been his best friend, and at the time he knew her...his only friend.

Sometimes he'd remember the events of that dooming night, November 15, 1955.

Sometimes he would remember and he'd shut down. It would feel like the whole world around him was melting; dithering. He'd look down at his own hands and barely recognize them...at least not without the image of them pressed against the cold glass of an escape pod, spattered with the blood of his dying friend. The image of her using her last breath to pull the lever and send him off to Earth.

Out of this world. Out of his body.

The world would just melt into shapes...and he'd disconnect from it all. As if it were some kind of game that you could pull the plug on.

It was...scary.

It made him scary.

He'd thought about all of this one morning, awaking in the guest room of Rouge's house.

After groggily dragging himself out of bed, Shadow made his way to the bathroom across the hall.

Washing his face, letting the cold water alert him, Shadow dried off with a washcloth. Wiping his muzzle, he stared into the shiny, spotless glass that showed his reflection, somewhat sadly.

… "Scary."

He set down the washcloth and examined himself some what. He opened his mouth, prodding at his teeth with one of his fingers. Sharp, jagged fangs. Fangs that made him look harsh and savage. It was one reason he never smiled much.

Shadow brushed his quills lightly with his fingers. Barbed, snaggy, uneven quills, colored a deep jet black, with crimson highlights at the tips. In a way, the highlights formed the look of fresh wounds, being a deep red so similar to blood. Not only did they look ugly, but they were also a potentially eerie sight to random people having had no prior interaction with him.

His eyes. A deep, ruby red, often giving an evil, spiteful energy that he didn't necessarily ever express. Not helping were his brows, big and slanted, giving him somewhat of a permanent frown.

''_Perfect Lifeform' my ass,'_ he thought, hanging the wash cloth over a rod to dry.

Before leaving, he took one last look at his reflection.

He was so...out of place. So sinister looking, compared to all of his bubbly friends. Hell, he made more intimidating types like Omega and Espio look like Care Bears.

After slipping on his gloves, shoes, and a beat up jacket of his, he stepped downstairs to get some breakfast. Rouge was up already, and had some food and drink set out for him.

"Mornin', sunshine!" She waved at him from the kitchen.

He walked in, dragging his feet a little, and pulled back a chair, shuddering a little at the ugly screech it made being hauled a few tiles back on the floor.

Sitting down, he finally spoke to her. "You're up early."

"Yeah," Rouge sighed. "I got real tired yesterday. Decided I'd get my beauty sleep early."

He silently nodded, and took some sips from the juice she'd left out on the table.

He'd only uttered three words to her, but it was enough to remind him of the fact that he hated hearing himself speak, too.

Only having drank half a glass, Shadow got up, grabbed a granola bar from a box on the counter, and left for the house's exit, halting at the door when he heard Rouge speak. "You're leaving already? Hun, you didn't even eat anything!"

Shadow held up the bar, and replied lowly, "I'm taking this with me."

"Still though," Rouge furrowed her brow in worry. "That's not enough food, Shadow."

"I'll be fine," he mumbled, finally opening the door and leaving.

It was cold and damp outdoors, the clouded sky a gloomy light grey. Some mist could be seen hugging the trees and the rest of the city, but it wasn't so thick that you wouldn't know where you're going. He could feel a light drizzle trickle down from the skies and hit his face. Not quite rain, just a small pour.

Well...the weather seemed to reflect his mood rather nicely.

With Rouge's house, the place he'd just left, being only at the edges, Shadow slowly walked out to the rest of the city, facing another day, and leaving his worried friend in her abode, thinking on a cooling cup of joe, wondering what happened to Shadow that could have had him grow so much more somber and distant than usual.


	2. Rain and Lemons

Shadow was always on edge and unnerved with the loud clamor of the city, making a point to himself to always bring along his headphones and a walkman, to which he could he plug and play at any moment and drown out noise, leaving only himself, the music, and his business.

Today wasn't one of those days where the city was particularly loud. But he played his songs anyways, hoping they could lift his spirits up, even if just a little.

Having only been awake and in the bedlam of the modern world for two years, Shadow wasn't quite all there yet, rather unaccustomed to all the current technology, culture, fashion, and sound.

Back on his days in the ARK, he'd get his little fills of the scene on Earth in the 1940s, through music, styles, and some slang words Maria and younger scientists would throw around.

The year was now 2003. For at least a few months and some change, he was believed to be dead by Sonic and co. after the ARK incident in 2001. Then he'd come back, released from Eggman's base the year after. It been such a jarring sight that some, Knuckles especially, believed he'd been a ghost, or simply a copy of the original Shadow.

Whether or not it was true...it didn't change the kind of person he was. Finding out he's a robot would just add on to the list of reasons he'd have for despising himself as he did, that being that he's a fraud. A fake. Not even truly the Ultimate Life.

...Ugh. He needed to get his mind off of this. He plugged headphones into his walkman and proceeded to drown out the world around him, a slow, somber song filling his ears.

_I didn't hear you leave...I wonder why am I still here_

_And I don't wanna move a thing_

_It might change my memory_

_Oh I am what I am...I'll do what I want_

_But I can't hide_

_And I won't go...I won't sleep...I can't breathe_

_Until you're resting here with me_

_And I won't leave, and I can't hide...I cannot be_

_Until you're resting here with me_

The song always reminded him of Maria. Of his past. Good things and bad things. It deeply resonated with him, in many ways. You'd think he'd cry...but it was comforting to him, in a sort of bittersweet manner.

He slid off his headphones, stopping at a small fruit stand by near a rural neighborhood, run by a visibly nervous kid. Behind him, was a woman who appeared to be his mother arguing with someone on her cellphone.

The boy was a small blue jay wearing comically large glasses, and despite them, he didn't see Shadow at first when the ebony hedgehog approached the stand. He turned shortly though, and perked up at the sight of a customer. "U-uh," he stammered, notably intimidated by Shadow. "Hello, sir...what would you like?"

Shadow made a decision rather quickly, and pointed to the lemons the boy had on the far left. He clarified, his voice low, "Two lemons, please."

"Sure, uh...right away!" The boy grabbed up two lemons and put them in a paper bag, offering them to Shadow. "Th-that will be 10 rings!"

Shadow reached into his pocket, pulling out a bundle of 30, and handed them to the kid, smiling lightly at him. "Thanks. Keep the extras."

He took the bag and walked away, slipping his headphones back on.

After the hedgehog left, the little blue jay gawked at the 30 rings. It was so much more than he asked for! He looked back at that dark and scary man who just walked away from his stand. Perhaps looks didn't always dictate a personality.

If only Shadow himself was convinced of that.

He sat down on a dirty bench, damp from the rain, lost once more in the music that filled his head.

He took out a lemon from the bag, and bit into it. It tasted cold and sour, but it was better to eat than nothing at all. Either way, he did prefer lemons the most to other fruits.

On the other side of the street, he could see a bit of a familiar face, hand on his hip, foot tapping impatiently.

It was Sonic.

Sonic could obviously sense someone was looking at him, as he returned the gaze, and seemed to perk up at the sight of Shadow.

As the busy road stopped for a crosswalk, Sonic ran across to Shadow on the other side of the road, smiling and waving.

The blue hedgehog was wearing a red jacket and thick ring shaped pendant, and held up a clear umbrella with a fish pattern on it.

Shadow paused his music and slid off his headphones once again. Even if he wasn't the biggest fan of Sonic's, there'd be no reason to rudely ignore him.

Sonic stopped in front Shadow, smiling at the ebony hedgehog, while closing his umbrella.

"Hey, Shadow! Nice to see ya! Geez, can you believe this weather we're having?"

Shadow rolled his eyes a little and swallowed down some more lemon. "Ugh...Sonic. It's barely a drizzle."

"Yeah," The blue hedgehog sat down next to him on the bench. "You're right! Still though, I kinda can't stand the rain. It's pretty to watch, but a pain to run around in!"

"Hmph," Shadow grunted. "Seems we agree on one thing. I often find peace in it."

Sonic reclined back a little on the bench, one leg over the other. "So Shadow," he turned to the other hedgehog, still smiling. "What have you been up to? I haven't seen you around in a while!"

Huh. So the hedgehog wanted some actual conversation. Shadow had thought that he'd smugly offer a race in the rain, or make some cheap jabs at him. Sonic never really just...talked with him. It was always something competitive or something to a dire situation nearing the end of the world.

"Yo, uh...Earth to Shadow?"

The black hedgehog jumped a little.

...He had zoned out again. If just for a minute or so. But it was enough to make Sonic impatient.

He looked back at the blue hedgehog, who looked just a little bit irritated.

"...Things," Shadow finally replied. "I haven't...been doing much."

"Ah!" The blue hedgehog piped up with as if he'd made a stunning realization. "Taking the slow life, I see! That's cool!" He rose up his arms behind him and rested his head. "I've been pretty busy, ya know. Beating up bad guys, savin' the world, gettin' busy with some movie gigs, and all that other jazz!"

"Movie," Shadow dryly replied, as if slowly processing what the blue hedgehog had said to him.

"Yup!" Sonic freed an arm from behind his head just a wag a finger in his signature, cocky way. "Ya know, I'm pretty popular with the people of mobius. People have made movies and shows about me, but for some reason didn't think about gettin' me on the set 'till now. Some people also use me in original stuff, just to get the publicity for havin'..." He freed his other arm and did air quote with his fingers. "'The famous Sonic the Hedgehog'...and ya know, who can blame 'em?"

Shadow stared off rather blankly. "Does it…bother you?" He asked a little slowly.

"Eh," Sonic waved his hand in a so-so gesture. "Sometimes, but I think I kinda like the attention!"

'To each their own,' Shadow thought. Shadow was glad he didn't have a socially busy life like Sonic. He lacked the patience and mental strength for it.

He wasn't sure how Sonic dealt with all the things he did, actually.

He always seemed to smile, even at his enemies. He always treated his enemies with the same joking and friendly manner as he did is friends. It was almost like he wasn't clued in to the fact that they hated him, and wanted to kill him. But that was bit of an absurd assumption to make on Shadow's part.

Still though...something was always a bit odd about Sonic.

The blue hedgehog was loud, obnoxious, and always smiling and joking. Sometimes even when the situation didn't call for it. It never seemed like he understood when jokes were and weren't appropriate to make.

He had the oddest way of speaking: overtly casual, patterned, and cliched. He had his own little phrases he'd repeat, like "Long time no see!" "Way past cool!" and "Aw yeah! This is happenin'!"

Sonic had his own subjects that sometimes Shadow would hear him to others about at length, like quantum physics, nature, and the science behind the stars.

He just had his own little quirks.

It wasn't exactly wrong of Sonic to be like this. But it was a kind of behavior Shadow wasn't very used to.

He looked back to Sonic after staring off for a while. The blue hedgehog had visibly gotten bored with the science. He was gnawing at the thick ring on his pendant, and boredly fiddling around with his gloves.

...Shadow had to wonder why he was biting his necklace.

"Sonic," Shadow began, breaking the silence. "Are you trying to eat your necklace?"

Sonic spit it out in surprise. "Wha? Oh...the pendant!"

He lifted it up, showing it to Shadow. The black hedgehog shuddered. Apparently this wasn't the first time Sonic had been biting on it, as it was riddled with teeth marks, as well as covered in drool from just having come out of the blue hedgehog's mouth.

"It was a present from Tails!" Sonic explained. "He was...mostly just tired of me bitin' on stuff in the house! So he got me this pendant. He said people make these things special for someone like me!"

"Someone like you?" Shadow raised a brow. So something was different about Sonic.

"Oh yeah...I don't tell people this much. I'm autistic," Sonic told him. "I dunno how to explain it...it's like this spectrum thing? Everyone who has it is different. People who have it...uh...their brains work differently from others. Tails told me that people who have it have trouble with social stuff...and do repetitive things? I dunno if that makes sense to you Shadow, but it's the best explaining I can do."

"But what does that have to do with you biting your necklace?" Shadow asked a little impatiently.

"Tails said it's this thing called 'stims', where you do repetitive stuff to calm yourself down," He raised up the pendant again. "I chew on stuff to stim, and that's why you saw me biting my pendant!"

Ah...that did explain a lot about Sonic. But Shadow hadn't expected the blue hedgehog to just tell him everything without hesitation.

"Hmm," The blue hedgehog suddenly changed the subject. "Whatcha listenin' to on your walkman?"

Shadow slipped the tape out of the walkman and presented it to Sonic, a little hesitantly. The album's title had been written on the tape by Shadow himself.

_No Angel - Dido_

Sonic scratched his head. "I don't think I've heard that one before. Is it good? Do ya like it?"

Shadow silently nodded.

"Cool!" Sonic elbowed Shadow in a kind of teasing manner. "Yer always so grumpy, Shadzter. Nice to see you like some things after all!"

Shadow scowled at the blue hedgehog, popping the tape back in the walkman and sliding his headphones on once again, resuming play.

"Ah," Sonic observed, moving away and giving Shadow space. "Looks like I've hit a nerve, then."

The ebony hedgehog reclined back on the bench and closed his eyes. Not to sleep, but to more take in his surroundings.

The music filling his head.

The soft, plush insides of his jacket.

The rain tapping unto the toes of his air shoes.

The worn, damp bench he sat on.

The morning breeze that softly blew at him and bristled his quills.

As music faded, he heard nature's own melody: the light drumming of gentle raindrops to the city roofs and streets.

It gave him tranquility. It gave him...security.

Shadow jolted up though, startled, when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

He slid off his headphones and frowned at Sonic, the source of the sudden gesture.

"Yo Shadz," He said, pointing a the black hedgehog. "Why don't we go for a walk? All this sittin' around is killing me."

Shadow rolled his eyes and rose up from the bench, stretching a little.

Grabbing his now wet lemon bag and his walkman, he let Sonic lead him away to a crosswalk, and across the street.


	3. Blue Kindness

Crossing the streets, Sonic raised his umbrella for more shielding from the rain.

He looked behind him and saw Shadow slowly trudging along, soaking wet from the rain that grew more heavy. The ebony hedgehog hung his head, looking downcast to the cracked sidewalk.

Sonic slowed his pace down to Shadow's, walking alongside him.

The black hedgehog once again, hadn't been entirely focused in on the situation. Once he'd felt the rain on his head stop, he looked up, a little bewildered. Shadow then turned and saw Sonic smiling at him, holding the umbrella over both of their heads.

"You were lookin' a little wet there, buddy," he chuckled a little. "Stay close to me, arright?"

Shadow grunted in annoyance and proceeded to huddle closer to Sonic.

Though the blue hedgehog often annoyed him, he wouldn't deny he appreciated this unneeded kindness.

As they walked he could hear Sonic gnawing on his pendant again, humming a little happily doing so.

Shadow looked up, seeing the rain splash over the clear umbrella, and out to the sides. It was a mesmerizing sight to see, but he realized he couldn't get lost in it when he heard Sonic's voice not even a second later.

"You gonna eat that other lemon?" Sonic asked, or at least Shadow assumed he was asking. It was hard to understand him talking with something already in his mouth.

Shadow took it out of the bag and passed it to the blue hedgehog. "Knock yourself out."

Sonic spit out his pendant and tore the lemon in half. A couple of bites into the fruit and Shadow could see Sonic's face scrunch up. "Wow!" Sonic said, one of his eyes screwed shut. "That's got quite the kick to it! And look at you," He opened his eye and looked at Shadow again. "You were eating it like it was nothin'."

"Sour foods don't bother me much," Shadow told him. The black hedgehog combed his fingers through his own fur, thinking.

"...Sonic," He started after a minute or so. "What was your reason for approaching me today? Do you want something from me?"

Sonic paused and swallowed some more lemon. "Do I need a reason to talk to a friend?"

The black hedgehog's gaze softened at his response. Perhaps not.

Judging by that statement...Sonic seemed to consider him a friend, despite their disagreements.

...Friend.

...That was nice.

Sonic continued after eating up the rest of the lemon. "I can just walk up and talk to ya if I want to, Shadow," He smiled. "I don't need a reason for that."

...He was right.

Shadow had asked the question majorly on instinct. He'd become used to others only needing him for dire situations, or being used for someone's personal benefit. It never clicked with him that people would just want to..._talk_ with him. Casually.

On another impulse, Shadow asked a question that often swam through his mind.

"Am I really someone worth talking to?" He questioned Sonic a little sadly.

Sonic looked at Shadow with a worried expression, his ears drooping a little. "Of course, Shadz! You may not be much for convo, but...when you speak up you have some cool things to say!" He switched hands, holding the umbrella now in his other hand, and using the free to pat Shadow on the shoulder. "Do you think you aren't worth talking to?"

Shadow didn't respond. He simply closed his eyes, and gently brushed Sonic's hand off his shoulder. The black hedgehog held his arms, hugging himself a little.

Sonic pouted at him. The blue hedgehog bit on his ring pendant again. However though...suddenly he remembered something. Something he _had_ been meaning to mention to Shadow.

"Actually, Shadz," He began, once more not as understandable due to having something in his mouth. "There _is_ something I wanted to tell you. It hasn't really got anythin' t'do with me, though."

Shadow glared at him, suspicious.

"Ya know Cream, right?" He stopped, pointing at Shadow.

Shadow halted next to Sonic. "Who is that?" He asked.

"Lil' bunny girl," Sonic explained. "Real short. Owns a chao. Hangs out with Amy a lot."

...Ah. Shadow knew _of_ her, but hadn't interacted with her.

"What about her?" Shadow asked.

Sonic spit out his pendant. "Cream wants to invite ya to her house."

Shadow blinked, confused. "Err...why?"

Sonic fiddled around with the cord of his necklace. "She'd seen you around during the whole Metal Sonic fiasco. Thought you seemed nice. Wanted to be friends."

...Cream. The little girl from Team Rose.

She seemed like just the sweetest and most innocent girl in the short time he saw her then. What could she ever want to do with someone as scary as him?

Children were always so wary in his presence. Cowering, avoiding, or simply just...staring at him. Always just a bit...uneasy. If he could read their minds, all of them would say "Why is that scary man like that?"

Even Tails, who Shadow was well acquainted with, still often seemed apprehensive in the black hedgehog's presence. On edge...as if something bad were to happen.

So what did this sweet little girl want to do with him?

"_Nice?"_

Sonic took note of Shadow's absent minded staring while he thought, and caught the black hedgehog's attention again, saying, "I'll let ya think on it. Personally, I think you should go. But you don't hav'ta listen to me. Cream's a real nice girl. I'm sure if you two talked ya'd hit it off pretty quick."

Shadow stared down at the floor, blank. He had no reason to reject an invitation for visit, especially if it came from someone he'd heard to be so polite. But still...something was keeping him from saying 'yes.'

Not Cream. Not her mother. Not anybody else but him.

For some reason...he was afraid of himself. He couldn't figure out why.

These thoughts of his were stalled though when he heard a loud rumble of thunder boom from the sky, heavier rain washing down on him. It was at that moment Shadow noticed that there had been a distance between him and Sonic over the duration of their conversation. Shadow saw the blue hedgehog frown in sympathy for him.

Sonic walked up close to Shadow and held his umbrella over the two of them. "Come on, Shadz. It's pourin' buckets out here. Let's get you home."

They walked together again, this time holding a bit of a quicker pace so as to not stay in the harsh rain for too long.

Sonic turned to the black hedgehog. "Shadow, where do you live? I wanna make sure I'm takin' ya to the right place."

Shadow hesitated, thinking for a moment. "I don't...really have a home. I normally stay at Rouge's place."

Sonic pouted, his ears drooping. "Well," he said after a few seconds, mustering half of a smile. "You can crash at my place for the night. Sound good?"

Shadow rolled his eyes. He wasn't too fond of this idea...but it was just overnight. Even if he was annoyed by Sonic, this wasn't the worst thing ever. "Sure," the black hedgehog grumbled.

"Heh," Sonic giggled, rubbing his nose. "Don't worry. I'll pick out a quiet room for ya."

After about an hour of walking in the rain, Sonic and Shadow arrived at Sonic's home, a cozy brown house at the south end of Station Square. They came in the doorway, soaking wet.

"Yo, Tails!" Sonic folded his umbrella and set it aside. "What's up?"

Tails was sitting on a beat up, velvety sofa, entranced in a show he was observing on the TV in front of him. The little fox appeared to have been taking notes, surrounded by ripped, crumpled up papers, a used notebook to his side. He had a pencil tucked behind one of his large ears.

Shadow closed the door behind him and hung up his jacket on a nearby coat rack. Suddenly though, the black hedgehog was startled when, out of nowhere, Sonic began to shake off all the water in his quills like a dog.

Shadow grimaced, shuddering from the sudden cold water that annoying blue hedgehog had shaken off onto him.

Sonic walked up behind the sofa and rested his elbows on one of the rough, velvet cushions. He always enjoyed the feel of the texture.

He tapped the fox in front of him on the shoulder. "Yooo, Earth to Tails?"

Tails jolted in surprise. "AAH! Sonic! Don't scare me like that!"

Sonic shrugged, smiling at his brother a little smugly. "To engrossed in your shows to say hi to your bro, huh?"

The little fox glared at him, before smirking in amusement. "_Hi_, Sonic," he said, waving the blue hedgehog.

He looked over to Shadow, who was still at the door, pitifully wet. The poor hedgehog looked like a scared and lost puppy. "Shadow!" Tails got up and approached the black hedgehog, smiling warmly. "Nice to see you! Feel free to dry off upstairs!"

Without a word, Shadow walked through the room and upstairs, tracking wet footsteps behind him.

Tails' smile faded. He turned to Sonic, apprehensive. "Why did you bring him here? What's wrong?"

"Nothin's wrong, Tails," Sonic looked at the fox, bemused. "The guy can't just crash here for the night?"

"Well, err, I'm not saying he can't," Tails explained. "I'm just wondering why? Why tonight?"

Sonic scratched his head. "I wanted to take him to his home, but uhh...he doesn't have a home. I didn't want to walk to the other side of the city to get to Rouge's place, so I figured takin' him here for the night would be fine."

Tails clicked his tongue and looked at the stairs Shadow left up on.

They rarely had Shadow over, and when they did, it was usually for a party or some kind of meeting. It was never just...Shadow. By himself. It was just a little bit worrying.

Upstairs in the bathroom, the black hedgehog was drying himself off begrudgingly. Once he'd hung up the towel, mostly dry, he noticed a cracked mirror above the sink. He studied his reflection a little, as he'd done earlier in the morning his mussed up fur he'd gotten from drying himself off made him look worse, if that was even possible.

He sighed, smoothing out the fur on his arms and walking out of the room. He had such a weird relationship with mirrors. He couldn't stand to look at himself...but everytime he'd come across a mirror...he'd just get lost looking at his reflection.

He shook his head a little before walking downstairs. He could hear some kind of ska punk song, and Sonic singing off-key to it.

The black hedgehog peered into the kitchen, and saw Sonic and Tails were already at work cooking.

Sonic was also doing exactly what Shadow had imagined. They had a CD playing from a stereo, and Sonic was singing along to the song using a spatula as a microphone. And the performance? Yes...he was hamming it up _big time_.

_No more flippin' burgers, puttin' on my silly hat ~_

_You know I don't want that no more!_

_And I didn't ask when we'd get paid,_

_I quit my day job anyway!_

_Guess it doesn't matter, guess it doesn't matter anymore ~_

_Coz you're gonna go to the record store_

_You're gonna give 'em all your money _

_Radio plays what they want you to hear_

_Tell me it's cool, I just don't believe it ~ !_

God, Sonic was such a dork. Shadow rolled his eyes, almost smiling in amusement.

In a while they had dinner: tempura fish and veggies prepared through the collaborative efforts of Sonic and Tails. It was roughly made, but still tasted fine.

Afterwards, Shadow had planned to just go back upstairs and sit around in a guest room of sorts, but changed his mind when Sonic and Tails offered him to watch a movie with them. At the start, Sonic handed Shadow a little tray of mochi ice cream. Shadow looked closely at it. It appeared to be green tea...his favorite flavor.

The blue hedgehog winked at him. "Heard that ya like it," he whispered. "Just a little treat to tide you over durin' the movie."

Shadow smiled a little, picking up one of the little mochi balls to eat.

Ah...it was so good. Nice and cold. He _loved_ the flavor.

Shadow barely paid any attention to the movie. The most he could gather from it was something about a llama and a scientist. But other than that he'd almost entirely ignored it. Just spacing out after he'd finished eating.

Eventually, after the movie finished, late night came and Sonic and Tails went off to bed. Sonic had guided Shadow to the guest room. It was pretty small...but cozy.

The guest room had one queen-sized bed next to a window, an old lamp on a nightstand on the other side of the bed, a beat up oval rug on the wooden floor, and empty dressers by themselves on the opposite side of the room from the bed. Shadow spotted a framed painting of the Chaos Emeralds on one of the walls.

"It's no luxury suite," Sonic told him, entering his room across the hall, "But it'll do ya good for the night. If you need me, just holler."

Shadow nodded silently, and made his way for the bed, burying himself under the covers.

It was all so...soft. The mattress sank gently as he lied down, a kind of plushness to the padding. There was a bit of a weight to the blankets that added to his drowsiness. Shadow reached out an arm and turned off the lamp, hearing it buzz lowly as the bulb flicked out.

The black hedgehog turned and watched out the window, warm and snug in the bed nearby.

He thought a little.

Sonic didn't have to do any of what he'd done today. He could've let Shadow be alone, miserable in the rain, wandering aimlessly, but instead he took him along for a walk, making conversation, trying to cheer him up, and even opened up Shadow to an opportunity for some social activity by telling him of Cream's offer. He even let Shadow stay at his house for the night.

It was all so..._nice_. Sonic didn't _have_ to be this nice. But he _was_.

Shadow had to repay the blue hedgehog in some way after tonight. Shadow had never really treated Sonic with the sort of kindness he deserved. No, Shadow wasn't downright cruel to him...but he wasn't exactly a sweet little teddy bear either.

Either way...he needed to be kinder to him.

Sighing, Shadow focused into the window. The rain still came down madly, but from the inside, the harsh thumping of the raindrops was a peaceful song to his ears. Shadow closed his eyes buried his face in the pillow, thinking of tomorrow as the music of the rain outside slowly lulled him to sleep.

Tomorrow was another day.


	4. A Place to Stay

In the morning, Shadow woke up, dazed and confused. The rain was still pouring down outside his window, albeit maybe less harshly than it did the night before.

He looked down to his gloveless hands, which blurred into focus as he slowly came to from his deep overnight sleep. It was when he looked around the room that he finally remembered...yes, this was Sonic's house. He still couldn't pin down why the blue hedgehog had decided to take him in, and so kindly, too. Had Shadow done anything to really...deserve it?

Yes, Sonic didn't need any reasons to talk with or be nice to his friends...but Shadow still couldn't help but doubt that applying to him. He couldn't help but doubt being a friend to begin with.

It was something he couldn't shake; that nagging voice in the back of his head that always told him, "You don't belong here," "They don't really care, it's all just pretend," and "You're a nuisance to them just being in the room. Just leave and give them their peace."

He sat up and began to draw circles in the plush blanket with an index finger. Was it true this time? Was Sonic just...pretending to be nice? Was it taking all of the blue hedgehog's will to not just throw Shadow back out on the streets?

He looked over to the clock next to him. The time "5:47 AM" blinked in red, blocky numbers on the clock's dark screen. Damn...this was early for him.

Shadow got up out of bed and collected himself. Whether or not his worries were true...he didn't want to burden Sonic and Tails any longer.

After making the bed in the guest room, gathering up and putting all his clothes on, Shadow made his way over to the front door entrance...but not before he left a note back for Sonic and Tails.

About two or so hours later, Sonic woke up with a loud yawn, and then proceeded to drag a groggy, disgruntled Tails out of the top bunk on the bed in their room.

Sonic went over to the guest room to check on Shadow...but felt his heart drop a little when he found the black hedgehog absent. 'Maybe he's downstairs,' the blue hedgehog thought to himself.

It was then that he heard Tails call him from downstairs. Sonic sped down into the kitchen to meet his brother, and upon entry, he noticed Tails was holding a paper in his hand.

"Shadow left a note," The yellow fox explained, yawning.

Sonic took up the note, frowning a little, and proceeded to read. Though it was a short note, he had to squint a few times; Shadow's handwriting was a little messy and disorganized.

_To Sonic and Tails,_

_Left at 6AM. Thanks for the stay_

_SHADOW_

Next to the black hedgehog's all capitals signature, there were two small rings drawn with an emerald.

This was rather curt and vague. Though this kind of brusque behavior wasn't really new to Shadow, Sonic couldn't help but feel frustrated.

Okay, so Shadow left.

Why?

Did anything happen?

And more importantly to Sonic, did he have somewhere to stay?

Sonic knew Shadow had no real home, and took more to wandering than staying in one place. Though Sonic had a home, it was another thing they had in common. Shadow, however, didn't seem to share the same passion for adventure that Sonic did. So obviously the black hedgehog didn't wander around to seek it.

Shadow was just...a lost kid. Underneath his tough, stoic exterior, he was just a kid, same as Sonic and any of his other friends. And that...was what really struck Sonic in the heart.

Sonic seemed to lose his train of thought when he heard Tails next to him, still a little unclear and sleepy, having just been woken up not too long ago.

"Whas' it say?" The yellow fox asked.

The blue hedgehog blinked in confusion. "What does what say?"

Tails rolled his eyes and massaged his temples in frustration. He spoke slow, clear, and impatiently now. "The note. You're literally holding it in your hand. Right now."

Sonic looked at his hand.

...Oh. Yeah. There it was.

"Oh!" He smacked a hand to his forehead. "Doy. Shadow just says he left...and I think he's thanking us for letting him stay?" He looked at the note again and furrowed his brow. "I dunno. It's kinda vague."

Tails rubbed his eyes, still trying to wake up, and let out a yawn. "Thas' just how Shadow is."

"Heheh, yeah," Sonic dragged out a chair, laughing. "You're right."

Sonic eyed the cabinet behind him, where they often kept food for breakfast.

"Hey," Sonic tapped the table a little loudly to get Tails' attention. The yellow fox looked up at him, still visibly half-asleep.

Sonic pointed at the cabinet with a thumb. "You want some breakfast, buddy?"

Tails nodded slowly.

The blue hedgehog got up on a stool and reached in the cabinet for some cereal. While he was pouring for the bowl, his ears perked up at the sound of low snoring behind him. Sonic turned around, and yes, it was Tails was snoozing on the table, with his sleepy little head buried in crossed arms.

Sonic smiled, seeing his brother so peaceful, and continued making breakfast. He could wake Tails back up when it was all ready.

Walking through the city in the rainy morning, Shadow realized that maybe leaving Sonic's house so early was an ill decision on his part. He had no idea where to go.

He could go to Rouge's place, but...no, he didn't want to bother her.

He'd hang around in a park or plaza, but even if he liked the weather it wasn't anything to hang around in.

He kept relaying over potential places in his head, until something came to him.

"_Cream wants to invite ya to her house."_

...Well. Now would be as good a time as any to come over. There was only one problem.

He...didn't know where Cream's house was.

'Perhaps that Rose girl knows,' he thought to himself. 'They appear to be pretty good friends.'

Shadow was already familiar with Amy's address, as he'd come over to her home before for parties and meetings between Sonic and co.

The small little neighborhood by the beach. The cute little red house at its entrance, with a white mailbox that had the surname "ROSE" painted on its side in bright pink lettering.

The house carried a kind of depressing air to it in the rain, being normally warm and homey when the sun had come out.

Shadow hesitated at the entrance, but eventually stepped up to the door, pressing on the bell to signal a visit. After a minute or so, Shadow was pleased to be answered by Amy herself, rather than one of her dads. That would make all of this much quicker.

"Oh, Shadow!" She beamed, seeing his face as she opened the door. "What's up?"

"Yes, err," Shadow covered his mouth, nervous, and stared down to the ground. "It came to my attention that...your friend Cream would like me to visit her."

"Oh yeah!" Amy clapped her hands together excitedly. "She told me about that! She says you seem super cool! What about it?"

"Um," Shadow wrung his hands. "There's one problem. I don't know...where her house is. I came to you, hoping that you could perhaps give me directions or something like that."

The pink hedgehog put a thinking finger to her chin, musing on it for a moment. "Hmm...I can drive you there, if you'd like that!"

Immediately after her offer, a bunch of questions started to swim around in his mind, such as "Aren't you 12?", "Do you even have a car?", "Where are your parents?", and, most importantly, "Do you even know how to drive?"

Shadow decided the second question would be the best one to ask. "Are you sure you could do that?" He looked around. "You don't seem to have a car."

Amy laughed. "Of course I have a car, Shadow!" She then leaned in towards him, speaking in a hushed whisper. "But, err, between you and me, I'm not allowed to use it."

Shadow made a zipping motion over his mouth, mutely letting her know he could keep the secret.

"Follow me!" The pink hedgehog stepped back into the house, beckoning him. "And close the door behind ya while you're at it!"

Shadow stepped into her house and did as instructed, closing and locking the door behind. Wouldn't want the Rose family to have any break-ins. She didn't tell him to do so, but he also made a point to wipe his muddied shoes on the welcome mat. It was only common courtesy.

"Hey," Amy stopped at the entrance to the kitchen. "It's kinda early in the morning. Have you eaten yet?"

"Err," Shadow thought. He hadn't, really. He really should've thought about food, but he hadn't. "No, I haven't."

Amy walked up to him and held his hands, smiling. "How about I make you something to eat, and you stay here for a while before you go to Cream's?"

"Oh, uh…" Shadow hadn't thought about just...eating at Amy's house. That'd certainly make things simpler. Plus...what was the rush for? He didn't have to go to their house immediately. He could wait until around lunch, so… "Sure," he told her.

"Ohh, great!" She clapped. "I'll get on it right now! Wait here in the living room."

She ran into the kitchen to start making his food.

Since he was going to be here for longer than expected, Shadow slipped off his shoes and left them next to the coat rack by the door, then walking to the sofa to sit down and wait.

He seemed to sink down in the sofa. It was soft, with velvety fabric...almost like a fancy bed.

Shadow had only visited Amy's a few times, but each time it was amazing to him how neat and tidy she and her parents kept it. The walls were painted with a soft, minty green that fell easy on the eyes, with rich maroon red furniture and a soft, white, carpeted floor.

The living room had a velvety chesterfield sofa, which he sat in, with cute little rose colored pillows placed neatly next to each arm. There was a big window on the wall next to it, with deep, wine colored curtains. In front of the window, there was also a small, comfy, velvet loveseat with a yellow blanket draped over it's back.

On the floor was a large, pink, rectangular rug, with deep red stripes across its width. The rug carried a coffee table with neatly organized nicknacks and the remote for the TV, as well as a game controller.

...Huh. Amy liked video games? Shadow seemed to gather that Amy was one of those people you learned something new about every day.

He picked up the remote and turned on the TV, which sat perched on a wooden cabinet in front of the table. It was when looking at the TV he noticed the Gamecube next to the cabinet, which must've been what the controller was linked to. He had to wonder for a second what games she owned.

Shadow sat and flipped through the channels until he came across one rerunning old episodes of _The Twilight Zone_, and decided to settle on it.

The episode playing as he set on the channel was one about a man who everyone chastised for reading, simply just wanting the time of day to read his books with no interruption or judgement. Then, the man wakes up to his city destroyed by nuclear warfare, him having been saved by hiding away in a vault. The man then finds all the books in the library remained intact and finally has all the time in the world for reading, only to break his glasses in his excitement, losing the only things that allow him to read.

Shadow's attention directed back to Amy when he heard her voice call him from the kitchen. The pink hedgehog came out seconds later with two plates of food.

"Here you go~!" She sang a little, setting the plates down on the table in front of him.

One plate had a waffle with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and rainbow sprinkles as a topping, while the other plate had two sunny side up eggs. He smiled a little. It was pretty cute. Also impressive considering she hadn't been in the kitchen that long.

He picked up the silverware from the waffle plate and started to eat. He might've underestimated how hungry he really was, as within only a few minutes the waffle (and ice cream) was almost entirely gone.

"So you like old TV shows, huh?" Amy asked him, as he finished up eating.

Shadow swallowed, and looked back at her. "Uhh, yeah. I used to watch old movies back on the ARK."

"Oh," She looked away, seeming regretful that she'd asked. "Should I...change the subject?"

"No, no," Shadow waved his hand, not seeming to notice he was still holding a fork. "It's fine. I don't mind talking about it."

It was half a lie. He only minded talking about the more...ugly parts of his life on the ARK. Like Maria. Her illness and death. The looming threat and eventual raids of GUN. The-_no, don't think about that_.

"...Shadow?" Amy piped up, concerned. "Are you okay?"

...He'd zoned off again. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"I just asked because," Amy continued, looking him over. "You looked a little sick for a second."

"I'm fine," He repeated, more impatient sounding.

Amy scratched her head nervously. "So...you said you like old movies, right? Do you have any favorites?"

It took Shadow a minute to remember, but not long to pick an answer. "Frankenstein and Dracula."

Much to nobody's surprise, Shadow was a fan of horror movies. What other kind would a scary guy like him enjoy?

"Cool!" Amy smiled at him again. "They aren't as old as those, but I like West Side Story and Singing in the Rain!"

Huh. She liked musicals. _Romantic musicals_, to be exact. Like Shadow's liking for horror though, it's perfectly in-character. Practically expected, even.

"Oh," The pink hedgehog looked down and noticed his empty plates. "I didn't even notice you'd finished! Let me take those out for you."

Amy picked up the plates and silverware and took them back into the kitchen, humming a little as she went.

Shadow wondered to himself, how long he'd stay at Amy's until going to meet Cream and her mother. He had to wonder about Cream herself as well.

That little girl...she thought he was _cool?_

She was…_excited_ to meet him?

She wasn't...afraid? Not even _terrified?_

...Who knew. Maybe when he finally visited she'd change her mind, and be shaking with fear in his presence.

Maybe her mother would toss him out on the streets for frightening her poor little daughter, and he'd be left to roam the city alone at night. And all of it would be for him merely showing up at the door.

Shadow shook his head. Okay...he was being _stupid_ now. All of this was dramatic, even for him.

Sure, yeah. Maybe that little girl would meet him and decide he's a creepy guy and she doesn't want to be around him. The part about the mom throwing him on the streets though is a bit of a stretch.

Shadow was many things. Scary. Mean. Foolish. Generally, just a bastard. But he had enough respect for himself to know he didn't deserve such a thing.

Wanting to take his mind off the subject, the black hedgehog stood up and walked over to the window behind the loveseat, pulling back one of the wine curtains, noticing the embroidered flowers that were delicately sewn up and down the soft fabric.

Once he'd pulled it back, he saw the rain, continuing to fall as it had before on the other side of the window's glass. The outer face of the window carried rain droplets, which either stayed in one place or trailed down the glass, spilling onto the outer sill. The plants on the outside yard shook and drooped in the hard shower, dulled in palette by gray, clouded sky. The harsh, growing downpour muffled against the window and roof, sounding like mere taps along the house's structure. It wasn't a song or melody of any kind, but it was music to his ears.

It was on this sight, he felt that he could watch the rain forever.


	5. Can't Be Sure

Over the next couple of hours, Shadow stayed with Amy in her house while the rain slowly let up. The pink hedgehog kept Shadow occupied by letting him try out some games on her Gamecube, watching some cartoons with him, showing off her CD collection, and having him clean up before visiting Cream and her mother.

If there was one thing that surprised Shadow, it was that he and Amy appeared to share some interests. He didn't have an interest in boy bands like she did, but Shadow did enjoy older music from the 50s and 60s, which she had quite a few records of in her room. Even then though, the cheesy boy band music was certainly better than the ska punk and hip hop Sonic loved to play in his house.

Shadow and Amy also seemed to have a shared interest in puzzles, and general games that tested one's thinking. To Shadow, all the best games were the ones that made you think strategically.

Amy didn't know this, but she and Shadow also shared an interest in romantic stories. The black hedgehog would never say so, but he had a secret liking for all that sappy, love-y dove-y crap you see in movies, songs, books, and TV.

Now the question is...why keep it a secret?

Well, firstly, a hedgehog has to keep his appearances. Despite a lot of his pain and stress, Shadow felt a huge pressure to keep up the "tough guy" image he'd built in his time on Mobius.

Secondly, it's either keep your mouth shut, or have to hear 100 comments a day, all along the same caliber as "Looks like Mr. Ultimate Grump-form has a heart after all!"

Even deeper, Shadow secretly wanted a relationship of his own. He didn't know if anyone would ever "capture his heart", so to speak...but there had to be someone out there for him, right?

But, whatever. Around the middle of the afternoon, the two hedgehogs got ready to drive out to Cream's house.

Amy opened up a backdoor to her house and Shadow saw a red Mercedes-Benz R107. Surprisingly new looking, despite how old it was. Her dads must have taken good care of it.

Amy unlocked the car and slid into the driver's seat, making room for Shadow in the passenger's seat. Starting up the car with key, she turned to him and asked, "Want to listen to music on the drive?"

Shadow looked at the car radio, which had room to insert a cassette. "Sure," he answered.

"Alright," She smiled. "I got plenty of cassettes, but we can listen to something of yours if you want to!"

Shadow hesitated reaching in his jacket pocket for a second, asking, "Do you mind rock?"

"Not at all!" Amy laughed. "Sonic plays it all the time when I drive him."

Huh. He didn't expect that answer.

He pulled out a cassette.

_Reading, Writing, & Arithmetic - The Sundays_

Having the pink hedgehog's approval, he slid in the tape, and it played over the rainy drive to their destination.

"Huh, I didn't know you liked this kind of music!" Amy remarked, her eyes on the road. "It's very pretty."

"Yes," Shadow replied. "It is. There's a lot of things people don't know about me, though."

"Oooh," She smiled. "Very mysterious."

Over the drive, Shadow found himself zoning out, as he tended to with music.

He was just...thinking. About many things.

About Cream's excitement to meet him, and the jarring prospect of it, given her nature...Such a small and sweet girl. Why did she want anything to do with a scary guy like him?

Ah, but his brain was a broken record at this point, mulling over the same phrases again and again.

"_You're a monster."_

"_You're a danger to everyone."_

"_You aren't worth it."_

"_What would anyone want to do with you?"_

And then...the age old "_Do you even deserve love?"_

He let out a deep sigh. What kind of a clown was he? Dreaming of love when he knew the concept of someone caring for him so much was preposterous.

He was pulled right out of his thoughts when he heard Amy's voice. "You okay, Shadow?"

"...Yeah. It's nothing, Rose."

"Well, um...we're almost there."

He needed a distraction in the meantime. Maybe he'd be able to drown his thoughts by zoning in on the lyrics.

He closed his eyes and listened…

_Where's the harm in voicing a doubt_

_You'll find me in the lavatory_

_And where's the harm in talking out loud when I'm on my own_

_What's so wrong with reading my stars_

_When I'll be in the lavatory_

_And what is so wrong with counting the cars when I'm all alone_

_You're not the only one that I know _

_And I'm too proud to talk to you anyway_

_You're not the only one that I know_

_And I'm far too proud to talk to you any day_

_So I say I'm in love with the world_

He perked up when the music paused, seeing Amy had driven up to a stop, handing him the cassette.

They had parked in front of a cute, two-story mansard style house. In the front yard, speckled with petite flowers, there was an old, brown victorian mailbox with flowers painted on it's top. A newer looking sign hung under it read:

45 PARK AVENUE

GLAZUUR

"This is our stop!" Amy told him, unlocking the car's doors. "This is Cream's house."

Shadow opened up door to his side, letting himself out. Before walking away, he made sure to not forget his courtesy. Resting his hand on the door, he softly said, "Thank you for driving me here."

"No prob!" Amy smiled warmly. "If you need a ride back after," She fished in her jacket pocket, and pulled out a small strip of paper with a series of digits written on it. "Here's my phone number!" She handed him the strip. "Take care, Shadow!"

Shadow nodded, putting the phone number in his jacket, and walking around the back of the vehicle to stop on the sidewalk in front of the house. He watched as Amy drove off, car lights disappearing in the fog.

He turned to the house, sighed deeply, and began to walk forward to it's entrance. He went along the stone patterned walkway, and walked up the white stairs, taking in the little details.

It was a gorgeous house.

The sides of the home were built with red bricks, remarkably new looking. The roof had white tiles, appearing newly painted. There were quite a few windows, but he took no care to counting all of them.

He stood on the white porch of the house, and looked to the woven chairs and small, wooden table. The table had a glass vase with a bouquet of petunias sitting in its water. Apparently Cream and her mother were very fond of flowers, as this had been probably the fourth instance he'd seen them walking up to the house, not counting the floral pattern among the pillars on the porch. He looked back to the front door, and stepped onto the soft, brown mat that read "Welcome!" in fancy white letters. Shadow took a deep breath in, and rung the doorbell next to the mahogany door, hearing the chime echo into the home. The door had a pretty victorian glass, faintly showing the inside. He could see a tall figure approaching the door, and slowly opened to reveal the face of Vanilla, Cream's mother.

"Hello?" Her sweet voice called. She looked down to Shadow and smiled, finally noticing him. "Oh! Hello there, little boy. Who might you be?"

"Um," Shadow shyly looked down, mumbling his response. "I'm...Shadow the Hedgehog. Your daughter invited me."

"Oh!" She clapped her hands together. "Your Cream's new little friend! She'll be so excited to see you!"

Vanilla opened up the door more and let Shadow in. The black hedgehog closed the door behind him, and heard Vanilla call her daughter downstairs. "Cream, honey! You've got a friend here to see you!"

Shadow looked back and saw the little rabbit run downstairs excitedly, her chao clinging desperately on to one of her long, floppy ears.

Cream saw Shadow and smiled brightly. "Mr. Shadow! You're here!"

"Uh…" Shadow turned to her, his voice trailing off a little. "Yes. I am."

"I was worried you wouldn't show up! I have a lot of ideas of things we can do tonight, but if you want to, you can pick the ones you like best!"

"You arrived at a good time, Shadow." Vanilla said sweetly, kneeling down to his level. "I was just about to start preparing dinner. Would you like to join us?"

"Yes please, Ms. Glazuur," Shadow responded discreetly.

"My! You're very polite," The motherly rabbit smiled. "It's always nice to see that Cream chooses her friends wisely. Now, on another note, you don't happen to have any allergies, do you?"

"No, I don't have any at all," He told her.

"Good! I'll go fix dinner," Vanilla stood up. "The two of you could use this time to get to know each other."

"Ooh! Mother!" Cream called, as Vanilla walked into the kitchen. "What are we eating for dinner?"

"Hutspot and rookworst," Her mother replied warmly. "Now go along, you two."

Cream gleefully grabbed Shadow's hand and quickly guided him upstairs, where the two of them could start getting to know each other.


End file.
